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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Shelby County, Ohio
and
representative citizens
Publ.
Evansville, Ind.
1913
947 pgs.
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DR.
WILLIAM FIELDING. The first practicing physician
that settled in Shelby County was Dr. William
Fielding who settled in Sidney in 1824, shortly
after its selection as the county seat. He was
born May 1, 1796, in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and after
a full medical course, commenced the practice of his
profession in 1816 in Madison county, Ohio. He was
in the War of 1812 and served six months under
Colonel Johnston. In 1818 he went to Franklin
and there practiced until coming to Sidney. Dr.
Fielding was identified with church, state and
Masonic affairs as he was one of the ruling elders in
the organization of the Presbyterian church in 1825.
He represented this county in the legislature for seven
years both as senator and representative and was one of
the original petitioners of Temperance Lodge No. 73, in
1825, was honored with being its first worshipful
master, which position he held during his life at
different times for twenty-seven years. He was a
thirty-third degree Mason and to this day the brethren
assemble in the lodge room on his birthday every year.
His portrait in oil hangs on the walls of the temple.
He was probably the most learned of the past physicians
of the county, a fine scholar and deep thinker, a Lord
Chesterfield in manners, immaculate in dress and his
name for nearly fifty years was a household word in
Sidney and Shelby county. He was married in 1818
and the father of twelve children, eleven of whom
reached maturity.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
257 |
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JACOB M. FINKENBINE,
a substantial and well known citizen of Dinsmore
township, Shelby County, O., who owns a valuable farm of
120 acres, situated one and one-half miles east of
Anna, O., together with improved property in that town,
was born on this farm Apr. 27, 1854, and is a
son of Louis and Sarah (Fogt) Finkenbine, for many
years well known and highly respected residents of this
township.
Jacob M. Finkenbine obtained his education in
the district schools and has spent his entire life amid
his present home surroundings. Remaining at home
and assisting his father, when the latter died he fell
heir to the homestead, and hence has never had reason to
leave what he is convinced is one of the finest farming
sections of the state. As soon as the property
became his own he began the improvements which he made
it both more valuable and very attractive, new buildings
of modern type having been erected and other changes
made, all in the direction of development and added
material comfort. Mr. Finkenbine gives his
personal attention to his different farm industries and
is numbered with not only the busiest but also the most
successful agriculturists of this neighborhood.
Mr. Finkenbine married Miss Sophia D.
Billings, who died May 2, 1910 and was buried in
Pearl Cemetery in Franklin township. Her father,
Frederick Billings was born in Germany. Three
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Finkenbine:
Frederick, Lena and Nora, the only survivor
being Lena, who remains with her father. He
is a member and liberal supporter of the Lutheran
church. In politics he is a stanch democrat but at
present is serving in no political office although his
reputation as an intelligent, upright and trustworthy
man would indicate that any public trust would be safe
in his hands.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page 717 |
John Finkenbine, Sr. & Mrs. John Finkenbine, Sr. |
JOHN FINKENBINE, Sr.,
one of Shelby county's most substantial and respected
citizens, now living retired and residing on his
large and well-improved property in Franklin township,
where he owns 342 acres, is a native of the old Keystone
State, born near the city of Philadelphia, in December,
1831. His parents were Jacob and Susan (Fogt)
Finkenbine.
Jacob Finkenbine and wife were born in Baden,
Germany, and many of the old and prominent families of
Ohio have originated there. When they came first
to the United States they located at Philadelphia, Pa.,
but, in 1832, came to Shelby county, O., where he found
ready employment at his trade of stone mason. He
and wife belonged to that sturdy, thrifty class
naturally well equipped to face and overcome hardship
and they not only comfortably reared their large family,
by example and precept teaching them industrious habits,
but so prospered that they lived to enjoy ease in their
old age. They were among the early founders of the
German Lutheran church in this section. They had
the following children: John, Jacob,
Louis, Frederick, George, Charles, Christian, Michael,
Dorothy and Sarah.
Dorothy married Jacob Fogt,
and Sarah married John Fogt.
John Finkenbine attended the district
schools in boyhood but as soon as old enough to be
trusted with the handling of tools, learned the
carpenter trade, which he followed for a number of
years. In the meanwhile he acquired land, tract by
tract, and then gave up carpenter work and during the
remainder of his active life successfully engaged in
farming and stock raising. In addition to his
Franklin township land he owns 123 acres in Dinsmore
township. The extensive farm activities are now in
the hands of his sons who continue them profitably.
On June 8, 1858, Mr. Finkenbine married
Miss Barbara Schiff, who was born in
Baden, Germany, a daughter of Michael and
Magdalena (Ludwig) Schiff, who
emigrated to America when Mrs. Finkenbine
was six years old, she being the youngest of the family:
Michael; Magdalena, wife of
Jacob Pfaadt; Sarah, wife of Michael
Stengle; Jacob; Christian and Barbara.
To Mr. and Mrs. Finkenbine the
following children were born: William;
Magdalena, wife of Jacob Hagelberger
and they have four children - Della,
Alfred, Frederick and Carl;
Louisa, wife of Christian Foster,
and they have two children - Dora and
Catherine; Julia, widow of
Edward English, and they had three
children - May, Bessie and
George; Ella, wife of William
Stockstill, and they have three children -
Pearl, Minnie and Thomas;
Sophia, deceased, formerly the wife of Thomas
Emley, and they had two children - John
and Warren; John E.; Margaret,
wife of John Boyer, and they have three
children - Clyde, Donald and
Paul; and Lewis H. and
Milton B. Mr. Finkenbine and family are
members of the German Lutheran church at Anna, O.
He is a strong democrat in his political views but has
never desired to serve in public office. Since
coming to this section he has seen many changes take
place, new methods of farming have been adopted and
comforts and conveniences have been brought into the
life of the farmer such as, in his boyhood, were not
enjoyed by any residents outside of large cities.
He has seen many of the old families, also, pass away,
their descendants giving up their birthrights of land to
enter into the rush and bustle of town and city and it
must be a source of satisfaction to him that his sons
still love the soil.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page 544 |
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LEWIS H. FINKENBINE,
general farmer and well known citizen of Franklin
township, whose well improved sixty-acre farm is
situated in a desirable section, not far from Sidney,
was born in Franklin township, Shelby county, O., Nov.
22, 1877, and is a son of John and Barbara
(Schiff) Finkenbine. The father of
Mr. Finkenbine was born in the city of
Philadelphia, in 1831, and was one year old when his
parents, who were natives of Baden, Germany, brought the
family to Shelby county, O. The mother was six
years old when her parents, also of Baden, Germany,
cross the Atlantic ocean to the United States and made
their permanent settlement in Shelby county. Of
their family the mother was the youngest born. Mr.
and Mrs. Finkenbine are among the best known
and most highly respected residents of Franklin township
and are leading members of the German Lutheran church.
Lewis H. Finkenbine was the ninth born
in his parents' family of ten children and he remained
with his father, whose agricultural interests are yet
very large, until he was twenty-three years old, in the
meanwhile securing a good public school education.
After his marriage he moved to his present far, which
his wife had inherited from her father, and here, with
much success, carries on general farming and moderate
stock raising, taking advantage of modern inventions to
save labor and increase production.
Mr. Finkenbine was married in December,
1900, to Miss Della M. Wells, who was
born in Clinton township, Shelby county, a daughter of
Sylvester S. and Sarah J. (Estey) Wells,
who were both early settlers and prominent people in the
county. Mrs. Finkenbine
is the youngest of their children, the others
being: Lilley, who is the wife of
William Schlayman; Dacie, who is the
wife of Charles B. Miller; and
William A. and Arthur.
Mr. and Mrs. Finkenbine have three
children, Marie, Emory and
Goldie. The family belongs to the
Lutheran church. Politically Mr.
Finkenbine is a democrat, although in local
matters he exercises his own excellent judgment in
supporting candidates, seldom accepting any office for
himself, although he has served four years as township
trustee and also a school director.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page 683 |
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WILLIAM FINKENBINE,
one of the representative citizens and substantial and
practical business men of Franklin township, was born in
Shelby county, O., Feb. 18, 1859, and is a son of
John and Barbara (Schiff) Finkenbine, who now
live retired in Franklin township. They are well
known and highly esteemed people and are among the
leading members of the German Lutheran church.
William Finkenbine was the eldest born
of his parents' family of ten children and he remained
with his father on the extensive home farm until he was
thirty years of age, in the meanwhile attending the
district schools in the neighborhood. After his
twenty-first birthday he worked for his father for $100
a year and as he never drew one cent of his wages until
he married, had a snug capital with which to start out
for himself. For nine years after marriage he
rented farm land from his father but later purchased his
present farm of eighty acres, on which he has profitably
engaged in farming and stock raising ever since.
Mr. Finkenbine was married first on
Nov. 1, 1888, to Miss Ida M. Ludlum,
who died Mar. 31, 1894. She was a daughter of
Eliakim and Sarah (Persinger) Ludlum. Three
children were born to the above marriage;
Bonnie, who is deceased; Margie,
who is the wife of Wilbur Schiff; and
Wilbur, who is deceased. On Mar.
4, 1897, Mr. Finkenbine was married
(second) to Miss Emma C. Losch,
a daughter of George and Sarah (Harmon) Losch,
the former of whom died on his farm in this county and
his burial was in the Pearl Cemetery. The mother
of Mrs. Finkenbine still resides in
Franklin township, her children being: Jacob,
George, Emma C., Lydia, Callie, John
and Clara. Mr. and Mrs.
Finkenbine have two children: Freda
Clara and Mary May. The
family belongs to the German Lutheran church, which has
been the family church for several generations. Mr.
Finkenbine, like his father, is a strong
democrat in his political views.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page 678
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ALBERT J.
FOSNIGHT,* whose valuable farm of 155 acres lies
in Turtle Creek township, Shelby county, O., is one of
the well-known men of this section, a successful farmer
and enterprising, intelligent and thoughtful citizen.
He was born in Van Buren township, Shelby county, June
6, 1862, and is a son of Absalom and Sarah Layton (Cotterell)
Fosnight. The father, a native of Clark
county, O., was a farmer all his life and both he and
his wife died in Van Buren township. They had the
following children: Henry; Albert J.; and
Anna, who married Joseph Ellis and after
his death married Joseph Reed.
In the public schools of Van Buren township,
Albert J. Fosnight pursued his studies until fifteen
years of age, in the meanwhile assisting his father on
the home farm. At that time the father died and
Albert J. and his elder brother assumed the
responsibilities and together they operated the farm
until the former was twenty-three years old, when he
took entire charge and carried on farming operations
until his marriage, when he purchased the interests of
the other heirs. Later he sold the homestead and
then spent four years engaged in farming in Oklahoma and
after his return to Shelby county bought his present
farm in Turtle Creek township. He raises grain and
other products that do well in this climate and also
enough stock for home use. Mr. Fosnight
thoroughly understands everything pertaining to
successful agriculture and his methods are those which
ensure success.
In 1882 Mr. Fosnight was married to Miss
Sarah Jane Feree, who was born in Shelby county, a
daughter of Jeremiah and Lena (Staley) Feree.
Mrs. Fosnight has two brothers, Grant and
Joseph. To Mr. and Mrs. Fosnight the
following children have been born: Clara,
who is the wife of Clyde McClure; Frank, who
married Alma Hensel; Edna, who is the wife of
Lafayette Verdier, her first husband having been
Frank Kneed; Charles; Cloy, who is the
wife of John Reed; Lulu, who is the wife of
Wayne Baker; and Lottie, John, Dessie
and Clarence. In his views on public
questions Mr. Fosnight is very broad minded and
is identified with the socialist party.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
828 |
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BENJAMIN
F. FOSTER, whose fifty acres of fine land is
situated one mile east of Sidney, bordering on the
Tawawa turnpike road, in Clinton township, Shelby
county, O., was born on a farm one-half mile south of
where he lives, October 6, 1864, and is a son of John
and Catherine (Peterhaus) Foster.
The parents of Benjamin F. Foster were born,
reared and married in Germany, and one year after
marriage came to the United States. They spent the first
six months at Baltimore, Md.,. and then came to Ohio,
pausing for a Short time at Dayton, and then came on
into Shelby county, where they remained for the rest of
their lives. John Foster became a
substantial farmer in Clinton township. They were
members of the Lutheran church and at death were buried
in Graceland cemetery at Sidney. They had a large family
of children, as follows: Christiana, who is the
widow of Jacob Dormire; George and
John, both of. whom are deceased; Mary,
who is deceased, was the wife of John Shaffer;
Christian; Lewis, who is deceased;
William; Callie, who is the wife of L. W.
Kah; Benjamin F.; and Catherine, who is the
wife of Henry McCracken.
Benjamin F. Foster had common school advantages
and since then has devoted himself to agricultural
pursuits, carrying on general farming and raising stock,
and all his efforts have been expended on the old
homestead.
On November 22, 1894, Mr. Foster was
married to Miss Jennie Gearhart,
who was born in Perry township, Shelby county, a
daughter of Frank and Elizabeth (Miller)
Gearhart, both natives of this county. Mr. and
Mrs. Gearhart had the following children born
to them: Harry, Edward, Lucy,
William, Augusta, Jennie and Earl.
Augusta is the widow of Ora A. Dunson.
Mr. and Mrs. Foster have one son, John F., who
was born October 2, 1896, who is a most satisfactory
student in the Sidney high school. Mr. Foster
and family attend the Lutheran church. Politically he is
a democrat but is no aspirant for office, and
fraternally he has been connected with the Odd Fellows
at Sidney for many years. Mr. Foster is
one of the solid, reliable men of Clinton township.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
474 |
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GEORGE W.
FOSTER, a prosperous agriculturist
and representative citizen of Loramie township, resides
one and one-quarter mile south of Houston, O., on the
Piqua and St. Mary's turnpike road, where he owns 120
acres of fine land, was born Feb. 28, 1860, at Canton,
O., and is a son of John H. and Augusta Foster.
John H. Foster and wife were born in Germany and
when they first reached the United States, settled at
Wheeling, W. Va., and in a short time came to Canton,
O., and in 1863 to Piqua, from which city, in 1870, they
came to Loramie township, where they passed the rest of
their lives. They were members of the Brethren
church at Piqua. John H. Foster died when
aged fifty-nine years and his wife when ten years older
and their burial was at Houston. They were parents
of five sons and one daughter and four of the sons
survive.
George W. Foster attended the public schools of
Piqua and in the Beech Grove District in Loramie
township. Afterward he became a farmer and lived
five years in Washington township prior to his marriage,
and twelve years afterward, and then came to his present
farm in Loramie township. When he settled here his
land was covered with brush and thickets and it required
much hard toil and a considerable expenditure of money
to clear, cultivate and drain, and to place the many
substantial improvements here. Farming and stock
raising employ Mr. Foster's attention, his two
youngest sons now assuming many of the heaviest
responsibilities.
Mr. Foster married Miss Anna Snaveley,
who was born in Washington township, a daughter of the
late Washington Snaveley, and they have
three children: Theda B., who married E.
H. Billing, of Swanders, O.; and Guy E. and
Marion O. Mr. Foster and family are
members of the Presbyterian church at Mt. Jefferson, in
which he is an elder and is also church treasurer and a
trustee. He is a republican in politics.
Source: History of Shelby
County, Ohio and representative citizens - Evansville,
Ind. - 1913 - Page 611 |
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EARL D. FRISTOE, whose
farm of 138 acres of valuable land lies in Perry
township, Shelby county, O., belongs to an old Shelby
county family and was born in this township, January 21,
1879. His parents were Milton and Mahala (Fahnestock)
Fristoe.
Milton Fristoe was a highly respected
citizen, and a successful farmer. His death
occurred in September, 1901, and his burial was at Port
Jefferson. To his first marriage with Lyda
Mericle four children were born: John,
Anna, Libbie and Phebe. His
second marriage was to Mrs. Mahala (Fahnestock)
Spangy, widow of Philip Spangy, who
had two children, Frank and Clara.
To the second marriage but one child was born.
Earl D. and his mother resides at Sidney.
Earl D. Fristoe attended the public schools an4
all his life has been more or less engaged in
agricultural pursuits. The first land he ever
owned was forty acres situated in Orange township, which
he sold and then bought sixty acres in Perry township
and after selling that, bought his present farm, in
1909, at sheriff's sale, it being known as the old
Henry English farm. He made all
necessary improvements, including the building of a new
and substantial barn and is successfully interested here
in raising Jersey cattle and Percheron horses.
Mr. Fristoe was married in November,
1900, to Miss Nellie B. Faulder, who was born in
Shelby county, July 16, 1880, a daughter of George
and Caroline (Fergus) Faulder. They are
farming people in Salem township and their children are:
Harry B., who is a physician at Wapakoneta;
Charles, Edward, Taylor, Clementine,
Nellie B., Mary, Donna, Chester
and Benjamin. To Mr. and Mrs. Fristoe
one son was born to whom the name of Lawrence
Theodore was given, but his little span of life
covered only five weeks. In politics Mr.
Fristoe has been active as a republican and served
three years as a county central committeeman, and is
serving in his second term as vice president of the
county fair board. He is identified with the
Knights of Pythias at Maplewood and Knights of Khorassan
of Sidney, O.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
662 |
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WILLIAM
H. FRISTOE, one of the leading men of Shelby
county, and one who is known in democratic politics all
over Ohio, came to this county in 1864 and it has been
his home ever since. He was born on a farm in
Hocking county, O., March 2, 1851, and is a son of
Charles and Anna Maria (Beery) Fristoe.
Charles Fristoe was born and reared in Virginia and
was twenty-one years of age when, in 1833, he came to
Licking county, O. He was married near Bremen, in
Fairfield county, to Miss Anna Maria Beery, who
was reared there and was a member of one of the old,
prolific and substantial families of that section of
Virginia ancestry. The Beery family still
holds yearly reunion and William H. Fristoe is
president of the organization. After marriage,
Charles Fristoe bought a farm near Gore, in Falls
township, Hocking county, and moved to Shelby county in
1864 when William H. was thirteen years of age,
and here Charles Fristoe died in May, 1876.
His widow survived many years, passing away at the home
of her son in 1890.
William H. Fristoe was reared on the home farm
and first attended school in Hocking county and
afterward in Shelby county and when he started out for
himself spent the first season working on a farm south
of Sidney, in Orange township. Afterward he was
employed in a brick yard in Turtle creek township, but
in 1874 came to Sidney and learned the carpenter trade
and for some years worked at bridge carpentering all
over the state. In 1884 he was elected town
marshal of Sidney and served for four years but in 1889
went into the implement business, as a member of the
firm of Fristoe, Stewart & Co., five years later
becoming an independent dealer and conducting his
business alone for four years, when he was elected
sheriff of Shelby county in which office he served for
two terms, from January 1, 1898, to January 1, 1902.
Mr. Fristoe then bought the old Fielding
farm in Clinton township, near Sidney, and carried on
agricultural operations here for five years, during
which time, through his efforts in securing the
petition, he succeeded in having the fine turnpike road
built which was named in his honor. After selling
his farm he resumed the implement business at Sidney and
continued until 1908, when he disposed of it to the firm
of Arnet & Son. He has been active
politically since early manhood and has served in many
public offices and capacities as indicated above and for
four years was a member of the city council of Sidney.
In June, 1910, he was elected deputy state oil inspector
of Ohio, and in January, 1911, was elected a member of
the county board of infirmary directors and is clerk of
this body.
In the fall of 1884 Mr. Fristoe was married to
Miss Uretta Hall, a daughter of Marion Hall,
then a well-known citizen and locally noted as an
auctioneer, whose death occurred in February, 1911.
Mr. and Mrs. Fristoe had two children born to
them: Charles Marion, who is a soldier in the
United States army; and William Robb. The
mother of these sons died July 20, 1907. Since
1873 Mr. Fristoe has been an Odd Fellow, in which
organization he has advanced to encampment membership,
and since 1892 has been identified with the Masonic
bodies.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
481 |
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